Rahul Gandhi politicising the matter: J&K Governor

Srinagar, Aug 13: Downplaying Rahul Gandhi's claim that the situation in Kashmir is bad, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Tuesday said the Congress leader wants to bring a delegation of opposition leaders which may create further unrest and problems in the state.

Jammu and Kashmir has been tense since August 5 when the Union Government decided to revoke Article 370 which gave special status to the state. The situation seems to have eased a bit now with the government slowly easing the restrictions.

Governor Satya Pal Malik took a dig Rahul Gandhi for claiming on Saturday that there had been violence in J&K and "things were going very wrong" and reporters that he could send an aircraft to bring the Congress leader to Jammu and Kashmir so that he could observe the situation and then speak.

Rahul, responding to Malik, said he and other opposition leaders wouldn't need an aircraft but "the freedom to travel and meet the people, mainstream leaders and our soldiers".

To this, Governor Malik today said the former Congress president was put forth too many conditions. He said Gandhi was responding to fake news possibly spread from across the border

"Rahul Gandhi is politicizing the matter by seeking to bring a delegation of opposition leaders to create further unrest and problems for the common people. He has put forth many conditions for visiting Jammu and Kashmir, including meeting mainstream leaders under detention," a statement by Governor's office said.

"As Hon'ble Governor had never invited him with so many pre-conditions, he has referred the case to the local Police and administration to examine the request further," Raj Bhavan's statement said.

It also accused Rahul Gandhi of responding to fake news about violence possibly spread from across the border about the situation in Kashmir, "which is peaceful with negligible incidents".

"He can check for himself from various Indian channels which have reported the correct position in the Kashmir Valley. He can also check the detailed submissions made by the Government in the Supreme Court today which heard a case on this matter and left it to Government," Satya Pal Malik's office said.